World Series champs return for home opener

Thursday

Apr 3, 2014 at 2:43 PMApr 4, 2014 at 3:37 PM

Playing well and winners of two straight, the Red Sox open their season with a ceremony by handing out World Series rings and acknowledging the lives lost in Boston Marathon bombings and fire in Back Bay last week

Jimmy GolenAssociated Press

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox are getting ready to celebrate their third World Series title in a decade.

The Red Sox will play their home opener at Fenway Park on Friday, after starting their season by taking two of three games in Baltimore. The Milwaukee Brewers will be in town to watch the defending champions receive their rings and raise another championship banner.

The Red Sox say the pregame ceremony will last about an hour and honor not just the current champions but also make note of the remarkable era in Boston sports history. The city's four major professional sports teams have won eight championships since 2002.

The team will also acknowledge the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings and hold a moment of silence for the two firefighters who died in a Back Bay fire last week.